


you’ve really got a hold on me

by BloodRaven55



Category: RWBY
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, Fluff, Light Angst, One Shot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but i'm probably being overcautious there tbh XD, but it's like literally almost all fluff don't worry, cause of blake's smutty books lol, mostly i guess anyway, one brief mention of sex, rated t for like, with just the tiniest smidge of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-07 20:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19216495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodRaven55/pseuds/BloodRaven55
Summary: “No pressure, though. It was just a thought. You don’t have to—”“No,” Blake cuts her off, voice soft and sounding faintly amused like always in that way that Yang can’t quite put her finger on. “Don’t worry, I’d like to. That— that sounds nice.”Yang grinned, giddy at the prospect of finally getting to spend some time with Blake outside of school and really get to know her better. “Awesome! We could go Saturday, if you don’t have other plans?”





	you’ve really got a hold on me

**Author's Note:**

> This was born of my joy at finishing my final exam of the academic year and my need to see more fics of the Bees back at Beacon so here we are XD
> 
> I see this as set sometime during Volume 1, so before the team finds out Blake's a Faunus and she runs away. I admit I'm a little sketchy on the exact timeline for the show though so please point out if I've been an idiot and anything seems wrong. I did take liberties with a few things that the show never really made clear as far as I'm aware, such as how students travelled between Beacon and Vale or how exactly people define sexualities if at all in Remnant. (I went with they don't really, because it didn't seem to make sense for a society that doesn't have systemic homophobia to categorise people that way, but who knows.)
> 
> Other than that... enjoy!

It wasn’t that Yang was being nosy. She genuinely hadn’t intended to find the clearly secret stash of books hidden under Blake’s bed, and she definitely hadn’t intended to look at them.

The reason she was kneeling on the floor next to her partner’s bunk, eyes scouring the carpet underneath, was to look for a spare part for Crescent Rose that Ruby had lost. But while she didn’t find it, she couldn’t help noticing the few well-read and dog-eared novels stacked haphazardly near the wall.

She wasn’t even going to consider looking more closely at them, but at this point she was desperate for something— _anything_ —to help her figure out how to bond with Blake. They’d been partners for almost a month, and they got along just fine, but they needed to do better than that if they wanted to truly work well as a unit.

And although she knew it was maybe a breach of her partner’s privacy, Yang couldn’t shake the idea that maybe if she just glanced at what was in those books, it would give her some clue as to what made Blake tick— what her hobbies were, what sort of things interested her. At the very least it might provide her with something she could use to start even one proper conversation with her.

If the worst came to the worst and it was something embarrassing or very private then she would just stop looking right away, and she would never dream of telling anyone else what she'd found. Satisfied that she wasn't betraying her partner's trust, she made her decision.

She carefully reached under the bed, pulling the first paperback out and examining it. It was a romance, that much was immediately obvious, but not quite like the other ones Yang had glimpsed in Blake’s hand before. Those often looked generic, slightly trashy, and far from innocent—guilty pleasure reads—but this one looked mature in a far less dirty and far more serious way.

The summary on the back promising _suffering_ and _hope_ and _reforged trust_ wasn’t what caught her attention most, however. It was the figures embracing on the cover, looking deeply into each other’s eyes, expressions almost tortured and joyful at the same time, that drew her in.

They were both women.

Huh, so Blake was into girls. She wouldn’t have guessed since the only interest in relationships her partner appeared to have shown since they met would be the cliché romances she usually devoured, which always featured a man and a woman, and a couple of comments that Sun seemed nice, but it was hardly a shock either.

She felt a faint fluttering in her stomach at this new discovery, and she wasn’t quite sure why. Why should it matter to her who Blake preferred to date? A little unnerved at her reaction, she quickly replaced the novel and picked up the next one. This time it didn’t look to be a romance she held in her hand, but a tale of redemption.

Intrigued, she flicked through, skimming a few pages here and there to get a sense for the kind of story it was. She was struck by the raw anguish of the protagonist— his crushing guilt over his past mistakes, some of which from what she could tell weren’t even really his fault, and his immense desire to make things right.

She felt her heart clench, the warmth that had been spreading through her growing cold, as she wondered why Blake might have wanted to read this particular novel. And why she had wanted to keep it hidden. Sensing that these were questions that weren’t yet hers to ask, she wasted no time putting it back as well and moving on to the last of the three books.

This one was… _oh_. Okay, this was more what she had expected to find in a secret stash of novels kept under her partner’s bed. Curiosity getting the better of her, she opened it to a random page. She could practically _feel_ her eyes widening in shock as she read. Wow, were they really… yes. Yes, apparently they were. She closed it again, suddenly feeling like she now knew a little _too_ much about her partner.

She pushed it back into its original position, trying to ignore the way her hands were shaking almost imperceptibly. The room felt hotter, stuffier, and she took a few deep breaths to calm her hormones. Once she’d got control of herself again, she pushed herself back to her feet, climbing up to sit on her own bed and play some games on her Scroll while she waited for the others to return.

Around ten minutes later the door opened, and her partner stepped into the room. Ruby and Weiss didn’t follow after, so Yang assumed that they must be doing something else, and she realised that this was her chance to actually talk to Blake in private and at least make an effort to start to forge some sort of real friendship between them.

She opened her mouth to ask where her partner had been, figuring it was a fairly safe question to lead with, but that wasn’t even close to what actually came out. “I read the books under your bed! I’m sorry, please don’t hate me!”

Blake blinked a few times, her features remaining totally expressionless, and Yang gulped, anticipating anger or even worse, hurt. But then her partner simply shrugged. “Well, I didn’t hide them very well. Relax, Yang, I don’t mind that you looked at them.”

Yang’s shoulders sagged in relief, and she smiled, seeing an opportunity to salvage something from her blunder. “It still wasn’t right, though, so if you like I could make it up to you? I was thinking we could go visit that bookstore you mentioned in Vale— like, partner bonding time or something, y’know?”

Blake was silent for several moments, and Yang shifted awkwardly, her smile dropping as she added, “No pressure, though. It was just a thought. You don’t have to—”

“No,” Blake cut her off, voice soft and sounding faintly amused like always in that way that Yang couldn’t quite put her finger on. “Don’t worry, I’d like to. That— that sounds nice.”

Yang grinned, giddy at the prospect of finally getting to spend some time with Blake outside of school and really get to know her better. “Awesome! We could go Saturday, if you don’t have other plans?”

Blake looked thoughtful for a moment, like she was mentally running through her schedule. “I think Sun wanted to have lunch with me Saturday,” she began, and Yang was surprised at how quickly she felt her own face fall, surprised at the overwhelming sense of dejection that settled in her chest. “But he won’t mind doing it some other time. So I guess it’s a date.”

Yang nearly choked on thin air, questions running a mile a minute through her head. Why did it make her so happy that Blake had agreed to go out with her instead of having lunch with Sun? Why was she suddenly looking forward to Saturday more than she could remember anticipating anything else in a long time? And what did Blake mean when she called it a _date?_

There was no way her partner meant an actual date. Yang wasn’t that deluded. But the choice of words made her think… did she want it to be a real date? The best answer she could come up with was that she wasn’t sure, and so she tried to put it out of her mind, instead throwing Blake a casual wink.

“You got it, Belladonna.” She was curious as to how her partner would react to being called by her last name, thinking perhaps it would irritate Blake, but if she didn’t know better she’d say there was a very faint blush on her partner’s cheeks.

Blake just walked over to settle on her own bed beneath her, though, and Yang buried her face in her hands, wondering what the hell was happening to her.

* * *

Saturday seemed to come too fast and not fast enough, and as Yang waited for Blake to come back from her last class of the day so that they could leave, she couldn’t deny that she was nervous. Her palms were sweaty, her heart was beating just a little too quickly in her chest, and she’d spent at least twice as long as normal picking what to wear before realising she was overthinking _far_ too much and just throwing on some decent jeans and a t-shirt.

They were only going to a bookstore, for gods’ sakes, it was hardly something she needed to dress up for. She put it down to wanting to make a good impression in the hopes that Blake would start opening up to her a little more. She was worried that her partner had got the wrong idea from her and Ruby’s antics the night they met and she wanted to show that she could be responsible—reliable—as a good partner should be.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Ruby burst through the door, Weiss close behind her and complaining about her leader’s lack of regard for their living space. But Yang’s gaze was pulled to where Blake was standing in the doorway, and the small smile her partner gave her did nothing to calm her still racing heart. Trying to distract herself, she promptly pushed herself up off the bed, grabbing her jacket where she’d tossed it haphazardly over a chair earlier.

Blake headed into the bathroom to change out of her uniform, and Weiss fixed Yang with a curious look. “What was that about?”

“What? Oh, yeah. Blake and I are going to check out a bookstore in Vale. It’s meant to have a really good selection and I gotta show my new partner I’m more than just an admittedly very pretty face, you know?”

Weiss just shook her head, muttering something about _an ego to match_ , before heading for the desk. “Well, try not to be out too long. And wish Blake good luck from me.”

For a second, Yang was confused. “Why would I—” And then understanding dawned. “Hey! That’s not—”

Luckily Blake stepped out of the bathroom at that moment, now dressed similarly casually in jeans and a hoodie, and Yang’s voice died off. She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, suddenly feeling self-conscious of how childishly she and Weiss could behave sometimes, and she wondered why Blake’s presence made her want to present herself a different way. She never normally wanted to let the more mature sides of her personality show—if she ignored them then she could ignore the reasons they existed as well—but something about her partner made it feel safe, good even, to allow that part of herself to slip out sometimes.

“You ready?” Blake asked, bringing Yang out of her own head, and she nodded maybe a little too enthusiastically.

“Yeah, let’s go!” She gave Ruby a hug which was received with love under the teasing veneer of an exaggerated plea for oxygen and Weiss a wave which was received with a _humph_ of annoyance, and then she and Blake were heading out of the door.

After the vibrant atmosphere of the dorm the silence felt oppressive, and Yang wondered if she should say something or if her partner would rather have some peace and quiet. It felt weird walking next to each other without saying or doing anything, though, and in a moment of insanity she imagined reaching over and taking Blake’s hand.

It was ridiculous. They hadn’t known each other long enough for that—could barely even be called friends yet—and moreover from what Yang had been able to glean so far her partner wasn’t all that comfortable with physical contact. Yang was a naturally tactile person, so when they’d first formed a team she had automatically began patting Blake and Weiss on the back when they pulled off a move well in training, or throwing an arm around their shoulders when they walked back to the dorm.

Weiss had responded with fairly straightforward irritation, the kind that made Yang want to mess with her more just to watch her squirm with embarrassment, and they’d settled into a comfortable dynamic of bickering and feigned disrespect easily. Blake’s reaction had been different, however. Rather than annoyance it had seemed closer to… discomfort. The one and only time Yang had put her arm around her Blake had tensed, just for a moment but noticeably enough for Yang to pick up on it, and so since then Yang had been careful not to touch her again without making sure it was okay beforehand.

Therefore, shocked would have been far too weak a word for what she felt when Blake’s hand found hers in the gap between them and her partner interlaced their fingers. Her jaw dropped, and when she looked up at Blake’s face there was something almost like a smirk on her partner’s features.

“I didn’t think you were capable of being shy, Yang. It’s kind of cute.”

Yang swallowed, trying to think of a way to pick her pride back up off the floor. “Well there are a lot of things you don’t know about me yet, Belladonna.” Yeah, that was smooth enough, right?

“I’ll bet,” Blake said, the faintest hint of a laugh in her voice. “I guess I’ll just have to stick around and find out what they are.”

Yang felt her cheeks flush with heat; she had no idea how to respond to that. So instead she tugged gently on Blake’s hand, pulling her in the direction of the train station. The silence returned during the ten minutes it took to walk there, but this time it felt far more comfortable, and so Yang was content to just slow down and enjoy Blake’s company without feeling the urge to fill the void with conversation.

The train pulled up, and they managed to find an empty pair of seats despite the number of other passengers. By around ten minutes into the half hour journey, Yang was ready to nap until they got there, and once again her mind was filled with a ridiculous image as she pictured herself laying her head on Blake’s shoulder and drifting off. Deciding that she was just tired and not thinking clearly, she mentally shook herself out of it.

It wouldn’t be surprising if she wasn’t in the best mental space right now, she reasoned, after another nightmare about Raven had stolen most of her sleep the night before. Exhaustion and intense emotions were not a good combination, and she figured that must be why she felt this sudden need just to be close to Blake.

Yeah, that was it. She was just feeling the loneliness a little more than usual and latching onto the first person she felt comfortable opening up to. That _had_ to be it. She couldn’t afford for it to be more than that.

The announcement that they’d arrived in Vale cut through her thoughts before she could sink too deep into herself, and when they stood up to disembark she managed to offer Blake a genuine smile. Her partner raised an eyebrow, looking a little bemused, but she returned it nonetheless, and their fingers interlaced again as they stepped out onto the platform.

Thankfully the bookstore wasn’t very far away from the station, and it only took about five minutes of weaving through the crowds of people before they were standing outside. Yang let go of Blake’s hand, but only to push open the door and hold it, letting her partner go through first.

“How chivalrous,” Blake teased, and Yang felt her cheeks heat up. She was genuinely starting to wonder what was going on here; she’d never reacted this way to anyone before in her life.

Once they were inside Yang watched as her partner practically lit up before her eyes. Blake seemed almost like a different person, her features overtaken by an innocent and almost child-like excitement rather than the calm mature demeanour with which she normally carried herself.

Yang felt a surge of joy that she had been able to do something that made Blake so happy, and it assuaged a little of her lingering guilt for invading Blake’s privacy without permission. Blake tugged on her hand before she could dwell on it further, however, and dragged her towards the fiction section.

Blake’s eyes flicked between the shelves like she couldn’t decide where to look first, and Yang did some browsing of her own, idly skimming the titles on display. There were a lot she didn’t recognise, but a few stood out to her.

 _The Silver Wolf_ \- she’d read that one to Ruby many years ago.

 _Left for Dead_ \- ah, one of her personal favourites. Cheesy but with a lot of great action, though the film adaptation was better not spoken of.

 _Anything_ \- wait, was that… it was the first book she’d found under Blake’s bed. The tortured romance of the girl who was always left behind and the girl who always ran away.

She considered picking it out, just to see if Blake would mention it, but after a few moments she turned away. Those novels had been hidden for a reason, clearly, and even if her partner said it was fine that she had looked Yang wasn’t about to remind her of her mistake.

Speaking of, Yang must have wandered farther than she’d thought, because Blake was nowhere to be seen. She weaved back the way she’d come through the different shelves, and after a minute she found her partner curled up on one of the beanbags scattered around for people to use. Blake’s face was scrunched up slightly in concentration as she absorbed the story held in her hands, and it was just about the cutest sight Yang had ever seen.

She stood and just stared for what was probably a little too long, and then she forced herself to move before it became weird. “Room for one more?” She kept her voice soft, so as not to startle her partner while her attention was so preoccupied, and Blake smiled when she looked up at her.

“Of course.”

Yang went to fetch another beanbag and dragged it over so it was next to Blake’s before dropping down onto it. She scanned the titles within arm’s reach and settled on a fantasy novel that looked harmless enough. Opening it to the first page, she relaxed into the comfortable makeshift seat, happy to just have some quiet time for once outside of the chaos of Beacon.

“I didn’t really take you for that much of a reader?”

Part of Yang was tempted to take offence—countless others had assumed her brain was the size of a peanut for a variety of equally misguided reasons—but somehow the question felt different this time. There was no derision or arrogance in Blake’s tone, just genuine curiosity, and she bit back the sharp response.

“I’m not really. Well, not as much as you. But I do enjoy it from time to time. And Ruby made me read to her _constantly_ when we were kids. She was crazy into fairytales and heroes and all that stuff. I guess she still is a little bit, but it was even worse back then.”

Blake smiled, that same faintly amused quirk of her lips as always, and Yang realised that she enjoyed bringing that expression to her partner’s face. Knowing that she’d managed to draw that feeling out of her normally guarded partner. It was enough to give her hope that maybe being Blake’s friend wasn’t such an unrealistic wish as she’d thought.

“Her heart’s in the right place, though,” Blake commented, sounding almost wistful, and Yang nodded.

“She always was like mum that way. I’m really proud of her.” She kicked herself mentally. Why had she said that? She never talked to anyone about Summer, but it had just slipped out.

“Well, I might not know her, but I’m sure your mum is a wonderful person if Ruby takes after her.”

“Yeah…” Yang rubbed awkwardly at the back of her neck. This was why she didn’t like talking about Summer— there was always the moment where she had to tell people. And then all of the joy would be gone, like the fact that she was dead negated the happiness she’d brought while she was alive. “Sorry, I just— can we talk about something else?”

Blake looked confused, and then concerned, but she didn’t say anything, for which Yang was extremely thankful. “Have you read any other books by her?” She tilted her head to indicate the novel still open in Yang’s lap.

The abrupt shift back to their previous topic caught Yang a little off guard, but she took the diversion gratefully. “No, I don’t think so. Are they good?”

“I’ve only read a few, but I really liked them. There’s one about a man trying to undo the legacy of his corrupt father— that one was excellent. And I think there was one about a woman who was cursed into misfortune by a witch, and I know it sounds dumb but there’s this great twist that I won’t spoil…”

Yang stretched her legs out, sitting back against the cushion as she listened to Blake run through her recommendations from—she glanced at the cover of the one she was holding—Serra Kane. Which she somehow got the feeling was probably a pen name. But she mentally filed it away to check out later, Blake’s all too rare enthusiasm endearingly infectious.

When they left the store half an hour later, Yang actually ended up getting the book she’d picked out at random.

“You were very persuasive,” she explained when Blake raised an eyebrow at her. “Besides, the first chapter was interesting and now I’m hooked.”

Blake rolled her eyes, but she looked almost pleased, and Yang knew she had made the right choice in buying it.

The air was brisk when they stepped out onto the street, turning left towards the train station for the journey back to Beacon, and an idea began to form in Yang’s mind. Maybe it would backfire, but if it had the result she intended it would be worth it. So she nudged Blake gently with her shoulder, getting her attention.

“Race you to the station,” she said, winking to emphasise the teasing challenge.

But before she could leave her partner in the dust, Blake had recovered from her momentary surprise and sped past her. She even had the audacity to come to a stop halfway down the block and look back over her shoulder at Yang.

“I thought you said this was a race?”

The words grated on her pride, and Yang took off after her, unwilling to lose at a game that she’d suggested herself. “I was going easy on you, Belladonna!”

It was close, so close that Yang almost wondered if Blake had let her win, but eventually Yang caught her, and the momentum led to her lifting her partner into the air and spinning her round. It was mostly an attempt to prevent them ending up in a tangled heap on the pavement, but Blake giggled—a word that it felt weird for Yang to even associate with her usually stoic partner, but the only one she could think of to use—and when Yang set her down again once they’d regained their balance she was suddenly hyper aware that she was holding Blake in her arms.

She let go immediately, feeling her face flush with heat, and she could have sworn that there was pink tinting Blake’s cheeks too as her partner glanced down at the ground. There was an awkward silence as they arrived at the platform, but when Blake reached out to take her hand in the gap between them Yang knew that today had been one of the best ideas she’d had in some time.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I hope it was cute enough :P
> 
> As always, any comments at all apart from non-constructive criticism are welcomed and immensely appreciated and I'll see you all next time <3


End file.
